On Tuesday morning our Hall was at full capacity as we gathered to share our first Eucharistic celebration of 2019. Led by Fr. Mark, we asked for God’s blessing on our new school year, and prayed together that we will be guided by the Holy Spirit in everything we do this year.

A significant component of our Opening Mass is the Investiture Ceremony for our elected College leaders. We recognised those students in Years 10 and 12 who have been elected to special leadership roles, and our Year 12 students received their badges that will signify their place as role models for our community. It was wonderful to celebrate with special guests who joined us from schools and Colleges across Canberra, and with our parents who walk with us as we commence this year.

Our theme for 2019 is taken from the Book of Revelation: Listen to what the Spirit is saying. In House groups and in Religious Education classes, students have been unpacking the meaning of this theme, and looking for practical ways to live out the message of the scripture in their daily lives. As we continue to walk together, let us all have hearts that are open to God’s message of joy and peace in our learning and growing at JPC.

Mrs. Nicola Edghill
Leader of Learning and Wellbeing – Mission and Ministry

Year 8 English have been working hard learning about the variety of genres within literature. Last week students worked diligently together in groups to create posters for a particular genre.

Today each student voted for the poster they liked the best, the winners were announced. The winners are:

1. Lachlan Sharp & Alara Salvage - Comedy poster.

2. Keira O’Conner, Hayden Mortimer, William Greenberger, Ethan Russell and Brendan Ryan - Crime poster.

Thank you,
Ms Mostyn & Ms Amos.

If your child has a medical condition, it is a legal requirement for us to hold a Medical Action Plan in first aid. This enables us to assist them when necessary. These need to be updated every 12 months. If you have not already provided one, please contact Belinda Hammond at the Student Office or forward your updated Medical Action Plan to the office email at office.jpc@cg.catholic.edu.au.

Since the start of the school year we have been encouraging parents and carers to allow their JPC students to find their own way to and from school – by bus, by bike, by scooter or on foot. In my teaching experience the fact that up to 70 % of students are driven to and from school is one of the most noticeable changes I can remember. In my first teaching year (1975) I taught at Albury North High School (now James Fallon). Less than 10 students out of a school population of over 1000 were picked up and dropped off on each day- they were students with physical disabilities. The rest rode bikes, caught buses or walked. The school was located at the end of a dead-end street with no visitor carpark which made it difficult to pick up and drop off each day. However, this was “the norm” for all schools in the Albury-Wodonga area.

Now in 2019, forty five years later I now witness the daily traffic snarl at the start and end of the school day out the front of JPC. What has caused this change? There are probably endless numbers of reasons but what have been the consequences? Childhood obesity is up, mental health is on the rise in the community and young people are becoming more and more reliant on their parents and carers. Stranger danger has not increased in that time but parental concern has increased-probably as a result of the tabloid and social media. We all live very busy lives and it would be a real win for families if students could take responsibility for their travel to and from school. Parents and carers could also get some of their day back.

Our school encourages students to be independent learners. We would like to extend this to a few life skills- perhaps travel to and from school could be one to really work on. A recent online article titled “Independent kids reap health benefits of walking to school” from VicHealth offers some practical advice in the form of Top tips for Parents and some Key Facts. I recommend the article for your consideration.

Reference:  www.walktoschool.vic.gov.au

Kind regards from the Wellbeing Team.
Article written bt Mr Paul McKie (Ferre House).

JPC Indigenous families were welcomed with a lovely afternoon tea on Thursday 21st February in the Kamberri Room. Food was prepared and served by our year 10, 11 and 12 hospitality students, featuring Indigenous bush food ingredients including Warrigal Greens tarts; Lemon Myrtle Biscuits; Wattleseed meringues, Kumara chips and native Strawberry Gum Cordial.

Mentor teachers partnered with the students to establish personal, cultural and academic goals for the year ahead. Courage captains Tom and Codie and our newly appointed Indigenous captain Ally Hampton were inspiring in their vision for 2019 and their support of our Aboriginal students.

Many thanks to all who participated.

Annie Daley
Aboriginal Contact Teacher

Are you a student over the age of 18 and interested in saving lives?

Contact Miss Turner to find out how! If you are already a donor within the JPC community (teacher, parent, aunty, friend etc), join our Red25 group by logging on to the Donate Blood website at www.donateblood.com.au, select Red25 Group and search for St John Paul II College Canberra.

Let’s increase our tally together!

Any student in Year 10,11,12 interested in completing a White Card (Construction) or an Asbestos Awareness workshop this term, needs to email Mr Pettit ASAP with the following information.

Read this carefully!

Full name, year group, PC group, SPECIALISED PATHWAY CODE* and an indication as to whether you want to join the White Card or the Asbestos Workshop.

If there are enough numbers the workshops will run, so tell your friends. Once we have an indication of numbers more details regarding costs and dates will be distributed. We hope to be running the workshops in conjunction with SFX.

Any questions email Mr Pettit.

*Specialised Pathway Codes can be provided by Mr Pettit during SP Interviews.

Hi JPC Community!

My name is Roschelle Jamieson. I am a new support staff member to the student office. Some of you will have already met me. I have 12 years experience working in schools and so far this one is my favourite. I look forward to meeing more of you as the year goes on.

My office hours are Monday to Wednesday 10am - 2pm and Thursday and Friday 12pm - 4pm.

It has been so amazing to have such an influx of year 7 students join our music programs here at JPC this year. Aron and I love getting new students involved and putting them groups/bands and helping them along their musical journey.

Whether you’ve had previous musical experience or not, if your child would like to try out any of our music programs, they are more than welcome to come along to a rehearsal to try before they buy.

Please remember that if your child has signed up to a group that you go to the relevant links below to pay via Qkr!

Music lessons
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScBwEQfLsVI_Izzac0IzegCCuwnCvY3p9ad7SO212o-kJaxag/viewform

Play/sing in a group
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf82_I0PlcLU6oS85tmlVwnuw4YVi52421ecuo6m-pQbO53OQ/viewform

Hiring an instrument
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjEp_gYzHGYx2f_CXGP1EADvYKNnACF7mhVLA8cSOiJN5MJg/viewform

If you have any further questions about our music programs, please feel free to email Aron Lyon or Sharon Robinson.